


Letter Plights and Starry Nights

by tillifer



Category: A Heist With Markiplier, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Gender-neutral Reader, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:02:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21554314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tillifer/pseuds/tillifer
Summary: Yancy stayed in prison, and you couldn't change his mind, the least you could do was ask him what was in it and tell him what was in yours.
Relationships: Yancy/Reader, Yancy/You
Comments: 17
Kudos: 53





	Letter Plights and Starry Nights

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Nothing Feels Better Than This](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21291341) by [Fandomtrash_247](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandomtrash_247/pseuds/Fandomtrash_247). 



> First off, I'd like to give credit where credit is due. The first piece goes to thehalfdemonwitchfromamestris on tumblr for sparking the majority of this fic. They wrote a letter from Yancy to the reader and since I saw that I could not get the idea of Yancy writing letters out of my head. The second piece of credit goes to Fandomtrash_247 right here on ao3. They wrote an amazing story about giving Yancy a perfect day on his first day out of prison, and I wanted to try my hand at that. 
> 
> LASTLY! I would just like to thank the entire Cursed Trails Penitentiary discord server, without whom this fic would've not been created, continued, or even finished. A special thanks to Mary for beta-ing this and honestly? just thanks to her in general. She's awesome. Love her. 
> 
> Anyways, here you go. This fic has been a labor of love over the time I've been writing it and I hope you enjoy the fruits of said labor.

The night Yancy had broken you out of Happy trails was one of the most bittersweet moments of your life. Yes, you were out, but Yancy was staying. You offered him to come with you, to run off together. He said no, of course, his heart in the right place. He knew he had to serve his sentence. 

_ "Maybe next time parole comes up, I'll give it a shot." _

_ That gave you hope.  _

_ "Hey, visitation, every third Sunday."  _

_ And that broke your heart. _

You knew you couldn't come back, it'd be too risky. So you left. You gripped the key in your hands and began planning. If he did go for parole when it came up, you would make sure it would be the best day of his life. 

That would take time though, and you would need to ask Yancy some questions. So you decided, if you couldn't visit him, you would write to him.

_ Dear Yancy, _

_ I know you're not going to be a fan of this, but I won't be able to come visit you. It's too risky. I could get locked up again. And as much as I would  _ _ love to _ _ enjoy spending more time with you, you worked so hard to get me out and I can't let that go to waste. So I've decided to write you a letter. I hope that you'll write me back, but I understand if you'd rather cease all communication with me. My address is below if you do want to write back though. _

~~_ Love _ ~~ _ Your Friend, _

_ Y/N  _

As soon as you had written the letter, your insecurities rose. What if he really didn't want to talk to you ever again? What if he wanted to forget about you? What if he didn't like you in that regard? All these questions and more plagued your mind, causing you to debate on whether or not you should send the letter. 

No. You had to send this to him. He deserved that at least. To know you were alive. To know you cared. 

Before you knew it, you had sealed up the envelope, addressed it, and took it to the post office. It was out of your hands now. The ball was in his court. 

* * *

Visitation day had come and gone, and Yancy hadn't seen hide nor hair of Y/N. He had thought they were too good to be true, and right he was. His thoughts often drifted back to them, despite his best efforts, and he couldn't help but feel as though a part of him was missing. 

Yancy wasn't sure to make off the fact that he had received a letter. He wasn't exactly sure why someone would mail him something, much less knew anyone on the outside who would. The return address was sketchy, to say the least, as it was from an area he wasn't familiar with. 

Regardless, he opened the envelope to see a small letter, in handwriting he didn't recognize. But as he began to read it, he realized immediately who it was. It was you. He was slightly downtrodden at the fact that he wouldn't be able to see you and that you would ever think he never wanted to talk to you ever again. But he was able to move past that, as he realized that you cared about him. You sent him a letter. Handwritten, through the mail, postage stamp and everything. The amount of trouble you went through to let him know you were alright was comforting. 

He read it over and over again, memorizing your signature, committing it to memory. As soon as he was done, he ran to find paper and something to write with. 

_ Hey Y/N, _

_ I know it's been a while since the last time we talked. But I just wanted to let youse know, that I would never wanna stop talking to _ ~~_ someone as amazing as _ ~~ _ youse.  _ _ I can't get youse outta my head. _ _ Ise understands why youse couldn't just come and see me. That's what I like about youse, how smart youse is, how creative, how caring. It's so good to hear from youse, an' I hope Ise can look forward to another letter of yours. _

_ Your Friend, (Ise never know how to end these things.)  _

_ Yancy _

* * *

It had been about a month since you had sent your letter to Yancy, and you had just about given up hope of him sending you a response. Of course, you knew it would take time for the letter to get out there, and if he had written a response back, it would take a while to get to you. 

Not to mention the fact that the letters could've gotten lost in the process. 

This was the conversation you had with yourself every day as you went to go check the mail. 

Bills, bills, junk, Happy Trails Penitentiary, more junk, more bills. 

Wait. You cycled back through your mail to see in fact that you had received a letter from Happy Trails Penitentiary. And you just hoped against all hope that it was from Yancy. You rushed back to your room to open the letter, not quite paying attention to anything else. 

You eagerly opened the envelope reaching the letter inside. As soon as you had begun to read it, you knew it was Yancy. And the little signature at the end confirmed it. You marveled at the letter, all of your previous insecurities melting away as you read it over and over again. 

With each new read through, you noticed something new about the letter. You noticed his handwriting, and how much it suited him. Small letters, cramped, excited, but still legible. You noticed how he had erased certain parts which wrinkled the paper and written over it. Maybe he had things he wanted to say that he was afraid of saying just like you. But you didn't indulge that thought. It was dangerous. An easy way to get your heartbroken. Instead, you turned that excitement towards writing him a reply. 

_ Hey Yancy, _

_ I am so happy that you got my letter. And I'm even happier to have received a reply from you. And I'm so glad you understand.  _ ~~_ It hurts so much that I can't see your face. _ ~~ _ But hopefully, we'll be able to see each other soon. I know you mentioned maybe going for parole, and I was wondering if that was still a possibility?  _ _~~I hope so~~. _ __

_ If you are gonna go for parole, I'll be there if you'll have me. I was hoping we could spend the day together. You could come stay with me, until you find your own place, that is.  _ _~~Or forever if you want~~. _ __

_ So that leads me to my next question, if you could have anything in the world what would it be? Okay actually that might be a bit too broad, so let's start with this. Where would you like to go to eat? A nice diner, a busy restaurant, maybe just a little cafe?  _ ~~_ I never got the chance to learn your favorite food. _ ~~ _ The choice is yours and if you want to go somewhere different, I'm all for it!  _

_ Sincerely, (I never know how to end these either, it always feels so formal)  _

_ Y/N _

* * *

Every day Yancy woke up, he eagerly asked if there was any mail for him. More often than not, there wasn't. Which pained him, as this was the only way he could talk to you. To keep himself busy, he would read over the previous letter you had sent him. He had kept it safe, right next to his bed in the top drawer of the bedside table. 

He didn't just enjoy reading it either. He would flip it over, and feel the impression the words had left on the paper. For some strange reason, it made him feel as though he was closer to you. He felt as though he was there while you were writing to him. And it made him happier, the fact that you had pushed down so hard to leave an imprint on the back. It made him feel as though you had been excited to write to him 

He hoped at least. 

It was during one of these musings that he was snapped out of his trance as he heard a rapping on his cell door. 

"Letter for you Yancy, and it looks like it's from the same place as that other one you got about a month ago." The guard said, handing Yancy the envelope. 

"Thanks, Boggs," Yancy replied, taking the letter," 'preciate it a lot."

He read over the letter, elated that you would want to see him again, and possibly spend more time with him if he stayed with you. He laughed at the end, feeling solidarity at the fact that you hadn't really figured out how to end your letter either. 

He was touched at the fact that you wanted to spend the entire day with him, and even considered to ask what he would want to do. 

He wondered how lucky he was to have met you. Completely, if he was being honest with himself. 

_ Dear Y/N,  _

_ How could I not write back to youse?  _ _~~Youse is perfect~~. _ _ It woulda been rude of me not to. An' as far as parole goes,  _ ~~_ it can't come soon enough, _ ~~ _ Ise sent in my appeal. An' I have to ask, is youse sure I wouldn't be imposin' on youse or nothin'? Ise ain't even outta here an' it already feels like youse is doin' so much for me. Once I'm out, I'll make sure to repay ya.  _

~~_ The only thing I really want is you. _ ~~

_ Where would Ise like to go an' eat? I honestly have no clue. I've been in here so long, I kinda forget what it's like out there. But the one thing Ise does know I want is if it could be somewhere quiet,  _ ~~_ somewhere intimate _ ~~ _~~,~~ somewhere wit' not that many people. As charming as you might think Ise am, Ise don't do too well in big crowds. But Ise trusts ya, so I'll letcha choose. _

_ An' youse keeps askin' me all dese questions, how 'bout I ask you one? How's your life been since you got out? Youse hasn't really mentioned much, an' if you don't wanna share that's fine, but I thought I'd ask. Just to make sure youse is doin' alright too. _

~~_ Love, _ ~~ _ Warmly, _

_ Yancy _

* * *

You had been keeping yourself busy since Yancy's last letter, coming to the conclusion that it would take about a month for your letter the get there and then get a reply. So until then, you threw yourself into work, writing, anything to keep you busy. Interestingly enough, you threw yourself mainly into cooking. Even though you had asked Yancy where he would want to go to eat, you thought that maybe that could be lunch, and then you could make him dinner. Which gave you an idea for what to do to end that day. 

When you had finished planning, you went down to check the mail, and lo and behold, you had received a letter from Happy Trails Penitentiary. You smiled as wondered what Yancy has said in response to your idea. 

As you read over the letter, you felt your heart swell. He cared about you. He wanted to spend time with you. He wanted to get to know you. It was a lot to deal with. And he wanted to know how you were doing. He wanted to know if you were ok. The sentiment nearly brought tears to your eyes as you began to pen your response. 

~~_ My dearest, _ ~~ _ Dear Yancy,  _

_ I wouldn't have held it against you if you hadn't written back. I just figured that I was simply another person you helped along.  _ ~~_ I guess I was wrong. _ ~~ _ And I'm happy you applied for parole.  _ _~~I can't stop thinking about you getting out~~. _ _ I promise the day you get out will be the best of your life. And please, don't worry yourself with whether or not you're imposing, I offered, so all you have to do is say yes. You've already done so much for me, it's payment in kind. You're worth it.  _

_ I'm glad you're letting me choose. I don't know about you, but I've always liked surprises. Regarding spending the rest of the day, is there anything in particular that you would want to see? I know there are definitely a few things I want to show you, but I'll keep that a surprise as well.  _

_ As far as how I go, I've been alright.  _ ~~_ I would be better if you were around. _ ~~ _ I've been keeping myself busy. At least until you get out. I've been working mostly, spending the rest of my time cooking, which has been interesting. I wouldn't say I'm the best chef in the world, but I think I've certainly come far. Just a warning, when you get out I will for sure use you as a guinea pig to try out new recipes. I hope you're okay with that.  _

_ How've you been? I hope you haven't been too bored without me. Make sure to give BamBam, Tiny, and Heapass a kiss for me. Tell them I miss them.  _ _~~Not as much as I miss you~~. _ _ And keep up the good behavior. I don't think I could take it if you were in there for any longer than you have to be.  _

_ Yours, _

_ Y/N _

* * *

Yancy had been feeling, conflicted, to say the least. He wasn't conflicted about you, no, there was no doubt in his mind that he felt a connection with you. He wanted something more with you. But he wasn't sure if you wanted the same thing. He also wasn't sure if he was ready to leave his prison family. It was all he had known for the past few years. He was scared. What would he even do out there? Would the world even want him there? Would you want him there? His line of questioning was stopped as a letter was dropped on the table in front of him

"You gotta secret pen pal Yancy?" Boggs asked cheerily. 

"Eh, somethin' like that. I'd consider them a friend, but I ain't too sure what they consider me." He said, heading back towards his cell. 

It felt wrong keeping it from Boggs, but Yancy couldn't really tell him much about you, fearing that if he did, it would wind up with you back in here. And the guilt he would feel if that happened was unimaginable. 

He sat on his bed, as he opened the letter, his previous fears of whether or not you wanted him around gone. You wanted him out. You wanted to spend time with him. You thought he was worth all the trouble he might give you. You wanted to see him as soon as possible. It truly pulled at his heartstrings. And he laughed at the image of you rushing around a kitchen, with several different meals being prepared, all of them being placed in front of him to try. 

The signature though, was what got him the most. One word, a simple word, and yet it held so much meaning.  _ Yours _ . His. It was then he knew how you felt about him. And suddenly he couldn't wait for parole. 

He put the letter in the drawer where he kept the others, and made his way back to the cafeteria, giving Tiny, BamBam, and Heapass a kiss on the cheek, and quietly telling them it was from you. Shortly after he headed back to his cell to craft his response. 

_ Dear Y/N, _

_ Ise have helped plenty of people escape,  _ ~~_ none of them were as sweet as youse _ ~~ _. It was really just another day in the life of Yancy. And speaking of parole I found out when my court date is. Ise'll make sure to call youse a little while beforehand, so that way youse could make the trek back here. Though that requires me knowing youse’s number, which I do not. Maybe youse could send it in the next letter you send to me. And as far as the best day of mine’s life, well, that wouldn't be too hard to do.  _ ~~_ Any day I get to spend with youse would be the best honestly. _ ~~ _ Ise also truly can't thank youse enough for letting me stay with you. I swear on mines life that I'll make it up to you, however you see fit.  _

_ The only thing Ise gotta see when I get out is some trees. An entire forest maybe, if you could manage that. I haven't seen a forest for the longest time. Ya know, I used to spend a lot of time out there with them trees. I climbed 'em as high as I could just to see the view. It was really somethin'.  _ _~~It doesn't hold a candle to youse though~~. _ _ Maybe we could do that, I could teach ya the best trees to climb and the best ones to carve youses name into. We could climb up 'em and pretend we is pirates in the crow's nest. And the wildlife, god, there's so much I  _ ~~_ would love to _ ~~ _ wanna show you, so much Ise think you'd appreciate it. That's really all Ise can ask for really.  _ ~~_ That and youse. _ ~~ __

_ Ise has been ok so far. Itchin' to get outta here and see you. But I told the gang my plan and they all support me. It's sad in a way, they supportin' me to get out, but it's also comfortin' knowin' that they think Ise can do it. But it truly has been borin' wit out ya. There’ve been a few newbies, but they ain't nothin' compared to you and that guy you were with. How is he anyway? I know Jimmy hit him real good, but that's 'bout it. What was in that box the two of youses brought in? I been curious ever since Ise handed it off to ya.  _

_ Everybody here misses you too. Tiny 'specially. Says you awakened somethin' in her or somethin'.  _ ~~_ Youse awakened somethin' in me too. _ ~~ _ Heapass wanted to send somethin' your way, but Ise wasn't so sure that was a good idea. Said it was a secret for youse only. If youse'd be okay wit' that, I'll send it along next time. Or maybe I'll hold on to it to give it to youse in person. I can't wait to sees you.  _

_ Yours as well, _

_ Yancy _

* * *

It had truly been a day for you. Work had gotten so busy that you had to stay late, even after having come in early. You headed home afterward, your body heavy with exhaustion. You nearly forgot about the fact that Yancy’s letter was supposed to come in today. Lucky enough though, you had seen one of your neighbors getting their mail, which reminded you to get yours. At that moment, the exhaustion seemed to lift as you retrieved your mail. You uttered a small greeting to your neighbor in passing and headed back home. 

You nearly collapsed when you entered the door, but you knew you couldn’t. You had to read Yancy’s letter and then send yours out tomorrow. You couldn’t break the routine, despite how your body yelled at you to rest. You managed to get through the first paragraph before you dozed off, the letter still in hand. 

When you woke up, you realized what had happened, and scrambled to find the letter, which was still in your hand. Relieved you hadn’t lost it, you folded it back up as you made yourself something to drink before you began reading it. You owed Yancy your full attention. 

After a while, you were finally more aware of your surroundings, and sat down to begin reading Yancy’s letter. From beginning to end, you felt fondness in your heart. You didn't want to get your hopes up when he ended it with 'yours as well' but it seemed unlikely. And when he mentioned the key, you remembered what you wanted to do with it, and write it down so that you wouldn't forget again. 

And then he mentioned Mark. You weren't quite sure how to feel. Of course, you felt bad that you had left him behind, but because of that you got to meet Yancy, and then when you broke out, the two of you fell out of contact. It was conflicting, to say the least. You chose to pay it no mind though, and instead direct your attention to responding to Yancy. 

_ Hey  _ ~~_ love _ ~~ _~~,~~ Yancy, _

_ If that's your day to day life, then I'm sure you're keeping busy without me.  _ ~~_ As much as it hurts to think that. _ ~~ _ Hopefully, you'll keep busy until your court date! Speaking of which, I've attached my number on a separate sheet of paper so you won't have to go digging through letters. At least, if you haven't gotten rid of them.  _

_ Knowing you haven't had a perfect day breaks my heart. I'll be pulling out all the stops to make sure that this can't be topped, even by me if I were to try again.  _ ~~_ Every day I get a letter from you is perfect. _ ~~ _ And if you change your mind about wanting to do anything, then we can just hang out at my place.  _ ~~_ Just the thought of being around you makes me giddy. _ ~~ _ We could play some board games, watch some movies, I could make dinner or we could order takeout or we could try and cook together. I'm not sure how good you are at cooking, but for some reason, I feel as though you would be a quick learner.  _

_ And I'll make sure to factor trees in. I actually live near a forest, it's about a ten-minute drive from my place. Or we could walk if you wanted. ~~I~~ _ ~~_ hope you do, I want to spend as much time as possible with you. _ ~~ _ It's not that far, and it should be pretty mild, so walking wouldn't be absolutely terrible. As for the forest, I can only hope you'll like it. I'm not sure if the trees will be very climbable, but we can still try. There are likely to be some solid ones, some might even be able to hold both of our weight. And you'll have to show me which trees are good for carving.  _ ~~_ As cheesy as it is, carving out initials would make me so happy. _ ~~ _ We'd have to mark such a momentous day, wouldn't we? I can think of no better way. _

_ I'm glad you're feeling up to coming out! And I'm so glad that everyone supports you. I hope you know that I support you too right? In any decision you choose to make regarding this, I'll follow your lead and be there when you need me. I only ask that ~~you~~ _ ~~_ love me in return _ ~~ _ think about the future you want.  _ ~~_ Hopefully, it involves me. _ ~~ __

_ Mark has been...I'm not sure how to put it. I saw him get beat up by Jimmy too, and after that it was a bit of a whirlwind and I lost touch. I don't know if he ever recovered from that, if he has, he hasn't reached out to me. If I'm being honest, he probably resents me for leaving him behind. As he should. I should've gone back for him. As thankful as I am for the freedom you gave me, I could only wish I could share it with him. We were friends for a long time, and not knowing what's going on is unsettling, but I've managed. It's weird really, things happen and yet life goes on. One door closes, another one opens. I leave Mark behind, I meet you. You don't come with me, you get parole. Happenstances and all that. But the box, well, that's something I'm going to keep a surprise for now.  _

_ It's nice to hear that people there still miss me. Tell Tiny I'm sorry for leaving so abruptly, and that maybe in another life we could've been more. But  _ ~~_ my heart is set on you _ ~~ _ not this time. I...also am not sure what to make of Heapass wanting to send me something, but I think the thrill would be worth it. I can let you know what he sends in the next letter.  _

_ I can't believe it's been three months. I can't believe you leave in three months.  _ ~~_ I can't believe I love you. _ ~~

_ Eagerly Awaiting, _

_ Y/N _

* * *

Yancy's mind had been entirely focused on you as of late. Given, even before now he thought of you pretty often, but recently, all he could think about was you. He would be dancing and he would think of your reaction to it. He would be writing a song and asking himself if you would like it or not. In his free time, he was just going over and over the letters you had sent him. He thought that it was most likely due to the fact that someone seemed to care so deeply for him, and he cared so deeply for you in return. It had only been a few months, but that didn't stop his heart from yearning for you. He missed your presence if he was being honest. Just having you there, having you knock him out if it meant getting to feel your touch, god when did he get so soft? If it was for you though, it was worth it. 

The rest of the gang had noticed him becoming more and more withdrawn and did their best to get him out of his head. 

"Heapass knows that you are anxious to get out, and are constantly thinking about Y/N, but Heapass also knows that you must keep busy to pass the time." Heapass said one day, handing Yancy a small package. 

"Thanks, Heapass, I'll do my best to get out some more." He responded, questioning the package but also thinking of what he could do. 

He met up with Tiny and BamBam later that day to just hang around. They ended up playing cards for a long while. And it truly did help. He hadn't realized how long it had been since he had had a conversation with the two of them. They talked about anything that came to mind, what the next dance number would be, when they would rehearse, the usual conversations. 

After the game had come to a final end, Yancy followed them into the cafeteria. As soon as he sat down everyone began going into different conversations. It was nice. It was comforting. He heard snippets of them, not really listening, instead just enjoying their company. The peace was soon broken, as his shoulder was tapped by Boggs. 

"Another letter from your little penpal, Yancy." He said, jokingly. 

"Thanks, Boggs," Yancy replied, taking the letter. Ah, now the package Heapass had given him made sense. 

"Looks like Yancy's checkin' out for the day guys, let's all say our goodbyes," Jimmy said. 

Everyone began saying their goodbyes simultaneously, making Yancy laugh. 

"I'll be back, ain't like Ise is leaving for good yet," he said, realizing towards the end what he had said. Everyone else had gone silent as well, and Yancy had taken that as his cue to leave and headed back to his cell. 

He was a little hurt at the fact that you thought he had thrown away all your letters. But he had never written about keeping them, so it was understandable. He truly couldn't wait to see you. To spend time with you. To be with you. It made him feel giddy just thinking of it. 

And the trees. You would make sure he saw them. He couldn't express how that made him feel. All he knew that it was good. 

_ Hey Doll, _

_ Day to day life has been kicked down a notch. Recently,  _ ~~_ youse’s the only thing I can think about _ ~~ _ Ise been gettin' a little anxious over gettin' out. Court date's coming up, an' it feels like everything’s a bit heavier here. Everybody knows Ise is gonna be leavin' for good, hopefully, and I know they is sad, but they refuse to admit for my sake. Maybe though, I could do the same thing we do. I could write em all letters to keep in contact. Maybe even visit them. Though I can only visit them one on one, so the letter's probably a better idea. 'Course they support me, it's what a family does, but Ise thinks they is havin' a hard time too. But I think I am ready to come out, to have a future outside of prison.  _ ~~_ Maybe a future with youse. _ ~~ _ Knowing that I have youses and the gangs support is real helpful.  _

_ An' doll, don't worry 'bout me not having an 'absolutely perfect day'. But Ise is glad youse is puttin' in so much effort to give me one. I can't tell you how grateful Ise is. Truly. Ise don't think I'd be in the situation I'm in if it weren't for youse. Youse makes me wanna be better.  _ ~~_ I think I'm in love wit' youse. _ ~~ _ And for what we do, I really don't have any preference, as long as we get to do it together. Actually, Ise would prefer it if it was just us. I get kinda jittery around strangers. S'why I wanted to go to the cafe. But if you wanna cook somethin' for little ol’ me, then cook to youses heart's content.  _ ~~_ My heart is content wit' just youse. _ ~~ __

_ The trees. I can't thank yous enough. Just the promise of seein' trees is something to hold me over. I ain't too sure if we should be climbin' em either. But carvin' our names in em? I'm all about that. It's almost like carvin' our names into the world. It's funny, ya never think 'bout those things afterward, but they's still there. It'll probably be there long after we’re gone. A little humbling, honestly. Memento Mori and all that.  _

_ Sorry about Mark. Never really got to know him like I got to know youse. But the way youse talk 'bout him makes him seem like a pretty good guy. Hopefully, he's alright and does reach out to you, lets bygones be bygones. Not really your fault he went and picked a fight with Jimmy though. So I wouldn't feel too bad about it.  _

_ That box though, that's somethin' I gotta know about now. They mystery an' allure? Incredibly enticin'. But if youse keeps it a secret, then I guess Ise'll have to wait. Promise not to forget it so I can finally know what it was.  _

_ I actually spent some time with Tiny today. An' BamBam. We played cards, nothin' to excitin'. But it helped pass the time. Speakin' of talking to people, Heapass had said somethin' to me today before giving me something. I assume it's the gift he wanted to give to youse. I hope youse gets it. Tell me what's inside in your next letter.  _

_ Missin' you, _

_ Yancy _

* * *

You had just gotten home from the blacksmith’s forge. You had put in your request, and were eagerly awaiting for when they called you to pick up the item. You weren’t sure how long exactly it would take, but given they were a pretty popular business, you hoped it would be done in time. 

You had to make sure everything else was in place as well. Already having been through a number of ideas on what to make. You wanted something big, but you weren’t sure if that was what Yancy would want on his first day out. Maybe you could work your way up to that. Baby steps. You decided on something simple, yet elegant. Though you would need Yancy’s input on what he would prefer. Though you might have to give him options, as he seemed content to let you make the decisions. It seemed unfair that he didn’t have any say in his perfect day. Well, minus the trees. That part, you had figured out quite easily and made sure that it would be undisturbed. It wasn’t exactly like you could rent out the forest, but you certainly made sure that you found a spot where you wouldn’t be interrupted. Hopefully, he wouldn’t think you were taking him there to kill him. 

As your mind drifted in between all the planning you had been doing, and all the planning you still had yet to do, you mind finally settled on Yancy. You had told him how lucky you were to have met him, but you weren’t sure how much he believed that himself. You remembered back to your time at the fence, how he said he didn’t belong out there, out here. He doubted himself so much, it hurt for you to think about. You wished he could see himself the way you saw him. The way all of his gang saw him. That was something else you were going to work on, that self-doubt of his. If you couldn’t help him through it, you knew a few people who could. You decided to make a few calls as well, before eventually deciding to take a break. 

But you didn’t really rest, no, you just diverted your attention. Instead of worrying about Yancy without him around, you were going to deal with what he had said in his letter. 

He was anxious, of course. Who wouldn’t be? But the fact that he wanted to stay in touch with everyone was good news. You knew that if he weren’t able to do that, it would probably ruin him. And then he said how grateful he was for you. How he wanted to change. That let you know that this was real. That this was actually happening. That you could have a future with Yancy. A good one. Like you had said, because Mark left, you were able to meet Yancy, and because you lost touch with Mark then you could forge a new relationship with Yancy. It eased the hurt of losing Mark. 

The end confused you though. As he said, there was a package attached to the letter. You hadn’t questioned it, expecting Yancy to explain it in the letter, but he didn’t know either, which, left you a bit weary. What could Heapass have sent that he didn’t want Yancy to look at? It was a very small box, with a little weight to it. There were no notes on the outside to clue you into what was inside or anything. Your curiosity eventually got the better of you and you opened it. Inside were two small rings. Looking at them at first, they looked like two normal silver rings, but as you looked them over in the light, you saw they had something written on the inside. You saw your name on one, with a date, and Yancy's on the other, with the same date. It took you a while to put it together but then it hit you. It was the day of the heist. The day you met Yancy. You nearly started crying at how thoughtful this was of Heapass. You weren’t exactly sure how he had gotten the materials to make these, but you were grateful all the same. You would make sure to thank him profusely. Maybe even write him a letter of his own. You soon realized you had never really talked to Heapass while in prison, and yet he had gone out of his way to give you these. You would most definitely write him a letter. But first, you had to write your letter to Yancy. 

_ Heya  _ ~~_dear,_ _babe,_ _light of my life,_~~ _ Yancy,  _

_ I’m glad to hear that things have been calm(?). And I’m glad you’re not getting into a fight with every new prisoner. I am sorry that you’re anxious though, as much as it makes sense. I hope it helps knowing that we’re all in your corner. And I will be, literally. I’ve found where the courthouse is, so I just need to know when it is from you, so I can come early and get a seat near you.  _ ~~_ I wish I could hold your hand through the entire process. _ ~~ _ I know you’ll get through it. You’re a tough cookie, and as stubborn as you may be, it’s admirable, some might even call it determination. I do.  _

_ I think keeping in touch with everyone is a fantastic idea. They’ve been with you for so long and gotten you through so much, it’s understandable that you couldn’t just end it on the spot. Maybe we could write them letters together? I’ve actually planned to write Heapass a letter, thanking him for the package. Once you’re out, I’ll tell you what it is. I'll tell you what was in the box that we came in with too. I also want to talk to Tiny, maybe help her figure out what she’s going through. I feel bad that I left her so quickly.  _

_ Yancy, I don’t know how many times I have to say it for it to get through your thick skull, but taking care of you is worth it to me. Maybe I should come back to knock some sense into that  _ ~~_ pretty _ ~~ _ head of yours. It really is no trouble at all. And the fact that you want to change? Want to be better? Anything I can do to help you is worth doing. Any time I get to spend with you is time well spent. And getting to spend time with just you, without people around us to worry about is wonderful to me.  _ ~~_ I get you all to myself _ ~~ _~~.~~ But I’m thinking that for your first day out, we keep it simple. Speaking of, what’s your favorite sandwich, for no reason at all. Just something I want to know. No nefarious purposes whatsoever. I promise.  _

_ I think carving our name on to the world is something we could do.  _ ~~_ Something we could do together. _ ~~ _ That’s one of my biggest fears actually, being forgotten. You’re right in that there’s so much that’ll be here after we’re gone, and not leaving anything behind kind of scares me. So carving our names into a tree that’ll live on long after us is quite appealing.  _

_ I think I’m going to stop actively worrying about Mark. It’s been this long and he hasn’t reached out. I haven’t either, but that’s beside the point. I don’t think I want to reach out. If he’s out there, he's made his choice. And now, I’ve made mine.  _

_ It’s good to know that you’re not spending your days sulking in your cell. I don’t want you getting too caught up in your own head. Even if all you do is just get out and have one conversation with one person, I’m proud of you. I know how it can be, wanting to isolate and leave everything behind. Being with other people helps though. Distracting helps. It doesn’t even need to be productive, you just have to get your mind off of what’s hurting you and onto something else. One of my favorite methods is cooking, as you may have noticed. There’s so much attention that’s needed, the detail to measurements, being aware of time, knowing what you need and when. If you find something you already like doing to distract you, then it doesn’t feel like you’re being distracted. Why don’t you try to write some new songs? Choreograph some new dances? But don’t do them for anyone else. Do them for you. Self-care, you know? It’s important. You’re important. You have to make it to your court date so I can see you again.  _ ~~_ I need to see you again. _ ~~ __

_ Fondly,  _

_ Y/N _

* * *

Yancy had finally been interacting more with everyone. He figured, he only had so much time left, best to make the most of it. Every time the had a meal together, he would listen as much as possible and try to give an honest response. He didn’t want them thinking things that weren’t true after he was gone. He wanted to leave a lasting impression on them. He didn’t want to be forgotten. 

He did his best to give his undivided attention to everyone he spent time with one on one. It was what they deserved, and he had felt bad for lacking in that recently. Every game he played, every person he spotted, every conversation he had, he treated with the utmost importance. He wouldn’t be able to do that after, so best to do it now. 

He had actually been spending quite a bit more time with BamBam and Tiny, always having a daily card game. Go Fish, Old Maid, Crazy Eights, War, Slapjack, Poker, he didn’t really care. He got to spend time with them, and that was enough. He was talking to Heapass more than usual as well. He always had wonderful insight, which, although cryptic, was immensely comforting. He radiated this aura of power, but in the way a cat does when they’re on top of the fridge. Uncaring, and yet interested. Heapass didn’t speak often, but he was a good listener, offering small grunts and noises of understanding. Yancy had tried to ask him what was in the box he sent you, but all he was able to get out of Heapass was a knowing smile. 

“Time ticks by, never waiting, never stopping, but when in good company, time feels never-ending,” Heapass said one day, completely out of the blue. It had startled Yancy quite a bit. He wasn’t sure what to make of it until he remembered the letter he sent you. He remembered how he wanted a future with you, and how when he was breaking you out of prison, it felt like it lasted forever, or at least, over and over again. He remembered spending time here, with his gang, his family, and how it truly did feel neverending. Whether that was a good or bad thing, well gray areas exist for a reason. 

And then, sooner than he had realized, he had received your letter. He wasn’t sure if that was due to him spacing out, or to Heapass, who always seemed to have a distortion about him. 

Putting the thought aside, he read your letter, comforted by your words about being in his corner, calling him admirable, and the like. He was elated at your understanding of him wanting to write back to the gang, and a little touched that you wanted to write to them too. He thought about how the two of you could write one giant letter, pages and pages long, talking about your life together, talking about your days, what recipe you might’ve cooked, what forests the two of you visited, any adventure you might go on. 

He paused for a minute, realizing what he was thinking. He realized that he truly wanted a life with you, whatever that may entail. Domestic or otherwise, he wanted to be with you. He wanted to spend every minute he could with you. He could feel the want throughout his body, and he came to a final realization. He was truly, deeply, and entirely in love with you. And that was okay! It shocked him how alright he was with that fact. The only thing that worried him was if you felt the same. 

As he continued to read the letter, however, he found his answer. The fact that you were coming into court on his court date. The fact that you giving him a place to stay after he got out. The fact that you were taking care of him. The fact that you cared enough to want to give him the best day ever. The fact that you said ‘ _ Any time I get to with you is time well spent _ ’. It rocked him to his core. You never said it outright, but he knew you loved him. He hoped you knew that he felt the same. Unspoken as it was, it was there. You wanted him to stop sulking, you wanted him to find something that made him happy. You wanted  _ him _ to be happy! His hand couldn’t move fast enough to write his reply. 

_ To Y/N  _ ~~_ keeper of my heart _ ~~ _ ,  _

_ Things have taken a turn for the better here. I ain’t sulkin’ in my cell as much, Ise actually gotta daily card game with Tiny an’ BamBam. We plays whatever we feel like, whatever feels right at the time. And so far, it’s been workin’ out pretty good. Recently, I been spendin’ a lot more time with’ the gang. We all know my time is comin’, so we is makin’ these last few moments count. Ise been payin’ more attention to the little moments, the jokes we share, the conversations we have, things like that.  _ ~~_ I can’t wait to share those moments with you _ ~~ _. But youse was right. Keepin’ myself busy has been a huge help. Like I said, Ise been plain’ cards, and just gettin’ out to talk to people. I haven’t really been thinkin’ ‘bout songs and stuff. Though now that youse brings it up, I might spend my last month here puttin’ together a spectacle. Somethin’ real special. Something that you might like. I knows youse said not to do it for others, but it’s a nice motivator. I’ll see if we can get it recorded to show youse. Now that I’m thinkin’ about it, I got all these ideas. Youse is such an inspiration.  _

_ I had this thought. That maybe, when Ise gets out, we could write letters together maybe? Maybe to save paper or save on stamps or somethin’. I just thought, y’know, it might be nice for everybody to receive a letter from the both of us. If youse don’t wanna do that then that’s totally fine, completely understandable. We can write separate letters, maybe that’ll keep it a bit more intimate. The way our letters have been. But I just thought it’d be less work with the both of us writin’ letters to everybody, so’s that they don’t get two letters and we know the same stuff and so we ain’t repeatin’ ourselves and such. But it’s completely up to youse.  _

_ Youses probably been tired of hearin’ that though, haven’t you? Ise think I’ve said it in ‘bout every letter Ise sent to youse. But here, lemme make this decision for you. My favorite sandwich is a turkey and smoked gouda sandwich, with a little lettuce and tomato, an’ some mayo an’ hot sauce. That specific enough for ya? Hope it is. An’ I hope youse never uses this to make deals wit’ me, cuz Ise is a sucker for that sandwich an’ would probably do just about anything for it.  _ _ And for you _ _. But you promised no nefarious purposes so, Ise is gonna hold you to it.  _

_ Ise can’t help but notice you didn’t mention what was in that little box of youse, nor what was in the package Heapass sentcha. Youse is keepin’ me in the dark, an’ Ise ain’t too fond of it. But youse can keep your secrets...for now.  _

_ Youse wanna know what Ise think?  _ ~~_ Ise think you’re too good to be forgotten _ ~~ _~~.~~ Ise think there is certain ways to keep yourself from bein’ forgotten. Two things, really. Actions an’ art. Youse can be remembered by anyone if you do anything to or for them.  _ ~~_ Youse’s certainly done so much for me _ ~~ _~~.~~ And through art, people can remember youses name, youses story, youses feelings. It’s what Ise loves so much ‘bout musical theater. Ise can express me in ways Ise couldn’t do otherwise. An’ people understand. People remember. My biggest fear has always been bein’ alone. I thinks that’s why Ise been so anxious ‘bout leaving is because here, Ise ain’t alone. But out there? I ain’t got nobody. Nobody but youse. Youse mean so much to me, Ise can’t put it into words.  _

_ One months time an’ Ise’ll get to see ya. Time sure flies, don’t it?  _

_ Yancy _

* * *

You knew Yancy's court date wasn't for another month, but you thought that getting a more professional looking outfit as soon as possible was best. Nothing too flashy, you were going for dapper really, put together in a sense. You didn't want to draw attention away from Yancy. It was his day. But given the situation, he might also want some of the pressure off of him, if you had gathered anything from his letters. You decided on a nice little number that didn't scream for attention, but wasn't exactly subtle either. You hoped it would help. 

It was so hard to believe. You were going to see Yancy again. You were going to be with him. You were going to be able to hold him. And you would never let go. Of course, he might stray, as is the curious nature of people, but you would be there beside him to set him upright when he fell over, or to fall over with him so he wasn't as alone. He wanted to change, and you were going to be there every step of the way. 

There really wasn’t much left to do, due to your impeccable planning. You had gone to the forge and picked up what you had dropped off, and while you were there, you had bought some chains for necklaces. You began putting all the pieces together, and finally putting them back into the box that Heapass had sent you. You hoped Yancy would like it. 

You had some free time for what felt like the first time in weeks. You weren't exactly sure what to do with it. Your mind had been drifting towards Yancy's court date. It felt as though it was just yesterday that he had broken you out of prison. And now, time couldn't move fast enough. 

You had decided to go for a walk, to clear your head and ease your worries. The anticipation of Yancy's court date was building, and despite everything said in your and his letters, you couldn't help but wonder how he truly felt about you. Did he think you were doing this out of pity? You hoped not. You hoped he knew how you felt about him. If he didn't you would make sure he knew when he was out. He had to know that you cared. He had to know that he was loved. He had to know that you loved him.

Eventually, you decided to head back. If you were lucky, you might've been out long enough for the mail to come. And lo and behold, there was his letter. You were so happy for him. He was doing better, and that brought you so much joy. And when he called you an inspiration? You couldn't help but smile. And you had to say, him finally giving you a concrete answer to what he wanted, well, it was nice. He had seemed so unsure of himself in his letters, and you weren't quite sure what that was about. 

And then, he told you his greatest fear. And though you had told him yours, you weren't quite sure he would share his. But he did. He trusted you enough to tell you. And he said you were all he had on the outside. That broke your heart, to be so lonely. You couldn't imagine it. You would make sure he would be able to build a life outside of prison. You would make sure he would never be alone. With that in mind, you penned what you would hope to be your last letter to Yancy. 

_ Dear Yancy,  _

_ Seeing as this is probably the last letter you’ll get from me before your court date, I just want you to know how excited I am to see you. How proud of you I am. How much I support you. I actually got a new outfit today just for it.  _

_ I’m so glad you’ve been keeping busy, what did I tell you? Works like a charm. And routines. I can’t thank them enough. I’m glad you’ve found one of your own. It helps make things feel more in control I think. Like I’m doing x thing at y time as I have planned. I haven’t been able to spend as much time with other people as I would like, but I know that if I could spend more time with them I would be the exact same.  _ _~~I can't wait to spend time with you~~. _ _ When you get out, I'll make sure to introduce you to all my friends, make sure you can build a family on the outside.  _ ~~_ We could be our own family. _ ~~ _ You'll never be alone. Not if I can help it.  _

_ As for me, well, things have been ok.  _ ~~_ Every day is torture without you. _ ~~ _ I've been keeping busy myself making sure everything's ready. I've set up a room for you here, and I've tried to get some stuff for you, but you've been so indecisive that I'm not quite sure what to get you! Maybe we could go shopping once you're out, and then you can pick out what you like and I won't have to guess. We can go to IKEA! We'll make a day out of it. Look at stuff for your room, maybe get some knick-knacks, grab lunch. I'm not sure how they do it, but those Swedes always make a meal feel like home. Oh!! And we could get a desk! With paper and drawers and a place to put pens and other stationery so we can write letters!! To write letters of course. Speaking of, I would love to write letters with you. I think you're right with the whole saving paper thing and us both knowing the same information so we don't repeat ourselves. But I think we should write letters to them individually and not as one group because they'll all probably have different things going on, y'know?  _

_ Look, I promise, once you're out? You'll know exactly what was in the box and what Heapass sent me. I promise.  _

_ You're right though, about how to not be forgotten. But the thing is, I just feel like nothing I do will ever be that exceptional.  _ ~~_ I was kind of hoping that the heist would be a bigger thing. _ ~~ _ I'm not particularly good at any art form really, and I'm not bold enough to do something worth remembering.  _ ~~_ I'm so lucky that you remembered me enough to write these letters. _ ~~ _ And I know what you may say, little actions! They're just as important! And you're right again. Maybe once you're out I'll be implored to do more little things to help people. I need all the help I can get, and knowing I have your help? Is one hell of a motivator. Who knows, maybe with your help, I'll become a world-renowned chef. Can't hurt to dream, right?  _

_ I'll see you soon, _

_ Y/N _

* * *

Yancy had been extremely busy the past month. He only had a month to write, choreograph, practice, and perform his best number yet. He used the word spectacle when describing it to you, and a spectacle it would be. While he was working on writing and choreographing, he sent Sparkles McGee to put together effects, Jimmy to get props, and Heapass to spread the word. After about a week everyone knew what he was up to, and asked if they could pitch in. The help was eagerly appreciated, and Yancy delegated work to different groups. It was a weight off of his shoulders knowing he didn't have to do it all alone. And when everything seemed just about ready to go, Yancy went to go talk to the warden. 

"Hey, da- uh Warden," Yancy said, stumbling to correct himself. 

"Ah Yancy! It's good to see you son. Do you know how nice it is hearing what good behavior you've been on? It's fantastic!" He replied, gesturing to the seat opposite him for Yancy to sit down. 

"And, a little birdie told me you were putting together something special in your last few days here. Did I hear that right?" The warden asked. 

"You did hear that right sir. An' regardin' that, Ise was wonderin' if there was a way youse could record it? For posterity an' all that." Yancy said. 

"Well, I don't see why not! So long as you've got everyone's permission to be on camera then you'll be golden! And if I'm right, I believe everyone signed a form upon entry giving us that exact thing. So go do it son. I'm proud of you." The warden said, shooing Yancy out of his office. 

"Thanks, Warden! Really 'preciate it!" Yancy yelled as he left. 

Everything was set. The dance was good, phenomenal if Yancy said so himself. The music was fantastic, full of emotion. And the effects, Yancy would have to write a separate letter to Sparkles after he got out thanking him for all he did. The guards brought in the camera and before Yancy knew it, it was showtime. 

It was late after recording, but it went off without a hitch. They nailed every note, hit every move, the effects were all on cue. It was as if the universe had granted him the perfect working day, and he couldn't have been more thankful for it. It was something he was proud of, something he hoped that you would be proud of. 

He had made his way back to his cell, tired from all the work and yet still riding the high of having gotten it all done. That high was further increased by the sight of a letter on his bed, addressed to him in your handwriting. He opened it as soon as he sat down and was filled with a new vigor. And there it was. You were proud of him. It felt like he hadn't even done anything and yet, you were proud of him. He was touched at the fact that you wanted to build a life, a family for him outside. That you set up a room for him, that you wanted to help him adjust, that you wanted to take him to IKEA. And the excitement you felt about doing so was palpable, even if it was through a letter. Seeing how excited you got just in a letter excited him to see how you were in person. The thought of seeing you in person excited him. There was so much to be excited about, he could barely write it all down fast enough. 

_ To Y/N, _

_ It's such an amazing thought, thinkin' that this'll be the last letter that Ise'll send youse from in here. Ise can't tell youse how excited Ise am. We actually just finished recordin' that new number Ise was tellin' you about. Came out great, a true work of art. Ise can't wait to show youse. An' as for your art, Ise think cookin's the way to go. From what youse’s told me, all the time youse spendin' on it, all the effort youse is puttin' in, it's all gonna pay off. I'm sure of it.  _

_ Ise is lookin' forward to seein' you, to gettin' out if you haven't noticed already. An' Ise really can't thank youse enough for doing all this for me. Meetin' you has changed my life. Ise never thought someone like me would go for parole, and yet, here I am. An' I'm sure once I'm out, youse's gonna change my life there too. Without a doubt.  _

_ If we do go shoppin', I'm gonna tell you now doll, I don't like much. I ain't ever had a lot so Ise ain't used to having a lotta stuff. Maybe that'll change, Ise thinks a lot'll change once I'm out ~~,~~ _ ~~_ once I'm with you _ ~~ _. But the desk, that sounds like a great idea. With all the pens an' paper, Ise can just imagine youse going to town while writin' there, if youses letters to me is any indication. And I'm glad you like the idea of us writin' letters together. Ise wasn't so sure how you would take that. I guess Ise got all caught up in my own head again.  _

_ I think anything youse does is exceptional. I mean, youse decided to write to me, a guy you knew for a few days and who youse also knew did some bad things. But youse kept at it. Little actions right? Youse just wrote a little letter an' sent it my way. Now look at me, I'm goin' for parole an' Ise genuinely want a better life. An' youse is so important to me. That one little action had all these ripples. Just keep that up and youse'll be fine. But if you need my help, Ise'll be happy to offer it.  _

_ I think Ise is gonna keep this one a bit short, just cuz there's so much I wanna tell you when Ise gets out. I'll see ya soon doll.  _

_ Love,  _

_ Yancy _

* * *

As Yancy's parole date drew closer and closer, your fridge grew fuller and fuller, and eventually, you were leaving your home more and more to give out food. To say you were stress cooking wouldn't be wrong, but it wouldn't be entirely right either. More like, cooking in anticipation. To keep you busy, to keep your mind busy, from the date that was ever-growing closer. You weren’t sure what about it exactly unnerved you. Maybe it was the fact that this would be the first time you would’ve seen Yancy in person in months. Maybe it was the fact that he was staying with you. Maybe it was the fact that you were so deeply and profoundly in love with him you were scared that as soon as he saw you and talked to you in person he would want nothing to do with you and your heart would be shattered. 

Ah. That was it. 

Getting caught up in your own head wasn’t something that happened too terribly often, but it was definitely something that once it did happen, it began to drag you down immeasurable depths. But you had to put that aside. Of course, writing to someone did have its perks, allowing you to think about what you want to say before you say it, being able to take back something you didn’t mean to say, things like that, but speaking face to face was good too. You would be able to see each other’s reactions in the moment, you would get to see how he laughed, how he looked deep in thought, how he looked enjoying a nice hot drink. And before you could stop yourself you had done a complete 180 and were spiraling in the other direction. As much as you weren’t opposed to this line of thought, you knew it had to stop. There were other things you had to do. 

You had prepared a lot of the physical things for when he got out, but there were things you had to mentally prepare for. You had to prepare yourself for the worst, as much as it hurt you. But on the other hand, you also had to prepare yourself for the best. For the fact that maybe he liked you too, for the fact that maybe, he might want to more than just pen pals turned roommates. It was rocky, sure, going from such intense lows to the highest of highs, but eventually, you wore yourself out and retired to your kitchen to see what you had leftover from your previous cooking endeavors. 

You were just about to sit down to eat when you remembered what day today was. Given that you had been obsessing over the future, you had completely forgotten today. It was the day Yancy’s letter was supposed to come in. You rushed down the stairs to the mailbox to see the letter there, as if it were waiting for you. As soon as you had brought it back to your home, you started to calm down. Things were finally falling into place, and all you needed to do right now, was eat and read. 

It hurt, of course, that this would be the last letter. You had found small pleasure in writing the letter by hand, sending it off, and waiting to receive a reply. But the thought of having to not wait two weeks for a reply from Yancy, plus the fact that you would be writing letters to everyone in the prison completely outweighed it. And you couldn’t wait to see the number he had done. He called it a spectacular, and you had been on the edge of your seat ever since. He supported your cooking which was sweet, and you had hoped that he would support you in cleaning out the fridge as well. When he mentioned how much you had changed his life, you started crying, you could only think of how much he had changed your life, the fact that he felt the same was so incredibly validating. And then you got to the end.  _ Love, Yancy _ . You had been too scared to end your letters like that, afraid he wouldn’t feel the same. But then he took that leap himself. Of course, in the last letter he sent you, just to be sure that if you didn’t feel the same way, you would’ve still kept on writing letters to him, and you started crying again. 

* * *

It was finally time. Yancy was headed to the courthouse for his hearing. He was all dressed up in a nice suit that the prison just happened to have. It was nice, if not a little restricting. He wasn’t used to wearing suits, more used to his loose pants and shirt, but he knew this was required. And he was a little pleased that you would get to see him all dressed up. 

He wondered if you were already there. If they had even let you in. He hoped you were there, the sight of a familiar face would be so comforting. Boggs was there though, and his presence was comforting too. But yours would have a completely different effect. He had shared such an intimate connection with you if he saw you, it would just reaffirm what he already knew. While musing, he was brought into the courtroom, sat at a table, and the process began. He looked around to see if you were there, not spotting you in the front few rows. But then, farther back, he saw a flash of color and-

There you were. 

He recognized you immediately, your face burned into his memory ever since he had helped you escape and, you were as alluring as when the two of you had first met. He couldn’t take his eyes off you and then suddenly, you looked up, a him, and your face grew into a smile he had only dreamed about. You gave a small wave and then pointed back towards the front, as if you were silently scolding him for not paying attention. He chuckled to himself as he turned back to the judge. 

* * *

The trial was a blur to Yancy, the only thing he remembered was seeing you and then the gavel pounding and the words officially setting him free. It took all his will power to not hop over the fence and hug you, but he managed. Soon, he reminded himself, soon. He was lead out of the courtroom into a much smaller room, to see you and Boggs talking. He wasn’t sure what about, as as soon as you saw him you ran up to him. You enveloped him in what seemed like the biggest hug a person your size could do, and immediately, he hugged you back. It felt right, for the two of you to be in each other’s arms. After all the time he and you had spent dreaming of this moment, it had finally come to pass. And just like you had dreamed, time seemed to stop and the only things that existed were you and Yancy. He was here. He was out.  _ He was in your arms. _ And you couldn’t be happier. Neither could he. The two of you stayed like that for what felt like ages before Boggs spoke up. 

“Hate to break up such a happy reunion, but I need to finish talking to Y/N about the rules and regulations. So uh, if you don’t mind splitting from each other so I can make sure Y/N gets all this.” Boggs said as the two of you released each other from your holds. Though you didn’t quite detach completely. You instead took his hand in yours and gave it a squeeze before giving Boggs your full attention. 

Once Boggs had finished filling you in on all the required information that comes along with doing parole, he said the two of you were free to leave. 

You couldn’t drag Yancy out fast enough, you were practically going to rip his arm off at this pace, but you didn’t care. There was so much that you had planned. Once you had reached and unlocked your car, you hopped in, motioning Yancy to do the same. 

“Okay doll, before you kidnap me to kill me out in the woods, mind tellin’ me what youse got planned?” He asked, before climbing into your car. 

“Sorry, I just got so excited because I get to spend time with you that I forgot my manners. So, first, I wanted to go back to my place, I figured you wouldn’t want to stay in that suit all day, so I got you some clothes that you could change into. After that, I was hoping we could go to that coffee shop I mentioned and grab lunch. There shouldn’t be too many people there, given the day and the time, and I was hoping we could just talk. I’ve been wanting to talk to you, to your face, for so long. And now that I have the chance I’m not letting go. And for tonight! I have something very special planned that I would prefer to keep secret, but understand if that’s unnerving to you.” You explained, beginning the drive back to your place. 

“That sounds pretty good. But let’s take it one thing at a time yeah?” He said, grinning. He was silent for the rest of the ride, just taking in his surroundings, the outside world, you. It was as if he didn’t realize how much he was missing in prison. But now out in the outside world, there was so much he wanted to see. So much he wanted to do. So much he wanted to do with you. But you had a plan for today. So he would stick with it. 

You enjoyed the silence with Yancy, you hadn’t really had time to just sit with him in prison, and now, you were just enjoying his presence, getting a feeling for having him around. It was pleasant, definitely something you could get used too. You could imagine the two of you, just sitting together at your place, maybe you were reading and he was writing a letter, or maybe you were cooking and he was writing a song, mumbling every time he was thinking which lyric would be better. You had had a lot of these domestic thoughts centered around the two of you, but now that he was here, those things could actually happen, if he wanted to do those things of course. 

You had gotten to your home sooner than you would’ve liked. As much as you wanted to talk to Yancy and get to know him, there was something so serene getting to just sit with him. And the suit. You wouldn’t have minded getting to look at him in that for a little longer. But you arrived nonetheless, and you brought Yancy in. 

“Welcome to my humble abode. It’s not much, but it’s home.” You said gesturing to the room. 

“My room is down the hall to the left, and your room is right across from it. I had turned it into a study when I first got here, but it’s been converted back into a room for your use. The kitchen is back there, and the bathroom is at the end of the hall. That’s about it, any questions?” You asked, ending the miniature tour. 

“Not really, but I’ll let youse know if any comes up.” He said, taking in your place. As you said, it wasn’t much, but it sure felt like home. It looked lived in, comfy, homey. He hoped he wouldn’t ruin it. 

“Alright, I’ve left some clothes in your room, if you want to change. I will most definitely change. As much as I like this outfit, I’d prefer to have a full range of mobility.” And with that, you walked down the hall to your room, leaving Yancy to do the same. 

He observed the hall that led towards his and your rooms, finding it somewhat empty, save for a few pieces of art here and there. They had dates on them, but as to what they meant he had no idea. There were no pictures of you and your family, or of you and your friends either, and he could only wonder what that meant. Slowly, he drew farther and farther down the hall until he finally came upon his room. Again, there wasn’t much: a bed, some sheets and a pillow, a bedside table and a lamp, and some drawers. He began looking through the drawers and cabinets to find some filled with clothes, and others completely empty, and empty notebooks and pens here and there. A lot of stuff to ask you about later. At that thought, he decided he had better change, or else he wouldn’t get to ask all those questions, instead having spent all his time in his room. 

After he had changed, he left his room to find you lounging on the couch, on your phone. You hadn’t heard him come in, and he took a moment to admire you again. You were so effortlessly attractive, so easily enticing, that he couldn’t help but get caught up in looking at you. He felt like he had known you and yet, he felt like he was meeting you for the first time again, all the mystery still intact. 

It was at that moment you chose to look up and smile at Yancy, and his heart softened.

“You ready to head out?” You asked, still smiling. You had to say, as good as Yancy looked in a suit, he looked so much better in casual clothing, probably because that was closer to what he was used to wearing.

"As I'll ever be." He said, heading towards the door and opening it for you, ever the perfect gentlemen. You thanked him and headed towards your car. As you said, the coffee shop was quite close, and you were there in no time. You exited the car, waiting for Yancy to catch up, and then you took his hand in yours and led him inside. 

The warmth rushed over Yancy as he stepped inside. The smell of coffee and tea and pastries assaulted his senses and he took a step back. 

"Yancy, are you ok?" You asked. 

"Yeah doll, it's all uh, jus' a little much 's'all." He replied, taking in the environment. His eyes were frantically scanning everywhere, trying to place everything. The sound the coffee machines were making, the smell of the coffee, the sight of the pastries and all their decorations, the sight of the people in the shop, the feeling of you hand in his. 

Oh right. 

You were with him, holding his hand, supporting him. He was gonna be okay, he made it this far. 

"'S'alright, I'm alright." He said, more to himself than to you. 

"Hey, if it's too much, we can leave." You said, taking a step away from him, worrying your presence was too much as well. 

"No," he whispered, pulling you back to his side,"it's good, I'm good. Let's do this." He said, walking up towards the counter to look at the menu. 

"Hey Y/N!" The barista said, greeting you, "I assume you'll have your usual?" 

"Yep!" You responded. 

"And what about for your friend here?" They asked, looking towards Yancy. 

"Ise'll have an iced tea." He said, after much deliberation. 

"Alright, will that be all for the two of you?" They asked. 

"Sure is," you responded, handing them your card. "Thanks, Adrien." 

The two of you headed over to a small booth by the window. While Yancy took in the rest of the shop, you took in his reaction. He had seemed to calm down, finally getting used to being somewhere new. He hadn't acted like this at your place, so you weren't sure exactly what caused it. 

"Hey Yancy, you okay?" You asked, softly. 

"Yeah, I'm good, doll. It was jus' a lotta new things all at once, kinda overloaded my senses is all." He responded, sheepishly. 

"Yeah I get that, new places can be super intimidating, especially when they're so different from what you're used to. Don't worry, I've been there before and I can tell you, it gets easier." You said, trailing your hand up and down his arm. It was soothing to him, to feel your touch, grounding even. There was just something about you that made Yancy feel safe. Which was unusual as he was typically the one making others feel safe. It was a new sensation, and he didn't mind it. 

"How do youse know so much 'bout my situation, huh?" Yancy asked, playfully. 

"I'm kind of in the same boat, more or less. Or was. It's a point I'm definitely past, but one I vividly remember." You said. 

"What do youse mean?" he asked, interest piqued. 

"Well like, you know, depression, sensory overload, anxiety, self-loathing, the whole thing. It's something I've dealt with and am still dealing with. It's rough, and I know first hand. Of course, what you're going through is completely different from-" You said, beginning to ramble before Yancy cut you off. 

"Wait, go back. Youse said somethin' 'bout sensory overload and anxiety. Can we talk 'bout that more?" He asked. 

"Yeah, of course, what do you want to know?" You asked. 

"So like, what exactly is that stuff first off. How do youse know if youse has it?" He asked, hesitantly. 

"It's all stuff that has to do with your brain. It's a mental illness or disability. And to know if you have them, you typically look at symptoms and if you meet some of them then you could self diagnose yourself, or, you could go to a therapist, psychiatrist, or psychologist to get diagnosed professionally. And that was actually something I wanted to talk about with you. I hope this isn't too forward, but I've set up some interviews with some nearby therapists. I think it'd be a great help now that you're out."

"Huh." He said, taking a moment to take in and process the information. You could see pieces clicking into place as he processed. 

"Yeah, Ise think that'll be a good thing for me, thank youse. Ya know youse didn't have to do that for me right? Youse already doin' so much, an' I feel like Ise ain't ever gonna be able to repay youse." He said, pulling away from you. This time though, you grabbed him to pull him back. 

"Yancy, I don't know how many times I'm going to have to say this, but you do not need to repay me for this. This is the least I could do for you for helping me out. Let me help you, Yancy. Please." You said, taking his hands in yours. 

Just as he was about to respond, Adrien walked over to your booth, with your drinks and a plate in tow. 

"One iced tea, and one house special. Plus, one slice of lemon poppy seed cake, on the house." They said, placing all said items between you and Yancy. Adrien left with a sly smile and a wink. 

"This looks delicious doll. An' you sure you ain't put in somethin' or nothin' to get this?" He asked, suspiciously. 

"I said nothing! Adrien just tends to know more than they let on." You said, putting your hands up in defense. 

"Alright, if youse says so." Yancy said, taking a sip of his iced tea. 

"That's fantastic. What kinda tea's this?" He asked. 

"I'm not sure, I'll make sure to ask though." You responded, taking a sip of your own drink.

"Oh, I had a few more questions for youse. How come there's art, but no photos or nothin' at your place?" He asked. 

"Oh, well, the lack of photos is due to the fact that I just forget to take them. And the art, they’re all pieces that I've done. Art therapy is severely underrated." You said. 

"Ah," he said in understanding. "Makes sense. An' what about all the notebooks everywhere?" He asked, remembering them all over the place. 

"Oh! Those are all journals and sketchbooks! Like I said, art therapy is severely underrated, so I just sketch whenever I'm not doing too well or whenever. I also write sometimes. How I'm feeling, what I'm doing, short stories, dreams I've had, dreams I've turned into stories, stuff like that. And the thing is, I never know when an idea'll strike, so I have them all over to write down whenever I need to. Sometimes I draw pictures to go with them, but not usually. I just really like writing. If you couldn't tell by the letters." You said, reeling yourself in towards the end. 

"That's amazing. Youse is, amazing, doll. You do all these great things, it's hard to imagine someone like youse bein' down. Ise never woulda guessed if youse hadn't told me yaself." He said, earnestly. 

"Yeah, a lot of people don't notice. You know the whole, fake it til you make it thing. You know, people tell me I'm not that good of an actor but they don't realize how wrong they are." You said, trying to lighten the mood. You were awkwardly trying to turn yourself away from Yancy, trying to avoid his gaze. He looked like he was about to speak up when you interrupted him.

"Hey, we should try this cake! Lemon poppy seed is one of my favorites." You said picking up a fork. 

Yancy just watched you as you tried to divert his attention away from you and onto the cake. If you really didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't push. There were things he felt he wasn't ready to talk about either. So instead of talking, he just allowed himself to sit back and watch you. You had offered him some of the cake, intending to hand your fork over to him, but instead he just ate the piece right off, letting you feed him. The look on your face was priceless, and you couldn't stop laughing. That was truly a sound he could never get tired of. And the sight of your smile was something he knew he'd never forget. You were simply a part of his life now. You had been for a while now.

* * *

Time had passed much quicker than you thought. You and Yancy had spent the majority of the afternoon talking to each other, learning all the things you hadn't put in your letters. You told him about your job, how you found the cafe, anything you could remember about the area. And Yancy, in turn, listened, trying to consume as much information as possible, since he was going to be living here of course. As the two of you were heading out, Adrien mentioned that there was an opening at the cafe, passing it off as if either of you were looking for a job and not just Yancy in particular. And as if to sweeten the pot, they also mentioned how staff got free drinks on their shift. And knowing how much Yancy had liked that iced tea, you thought this would be a great fit. 

As the two of you were driving back, you had finally noticed how dark it had gotten, making it time for phase two. When you had arrived home, you told Yancy to wait in the truck while you grabbed a few things. 

"I promise, I'll be right back." You said with a smile before dashing inside. 

You had left the box on the kitchen counter, and the basket in the fridge, making it easy to grab. Everything else was in the back of your truck. With your hands full, you ran back as fast as you could, not wanting to leave Yancy alone for too long. When you got back, you tossed the stuff in the back, making sure to not let Yancy see, maintaining the surprise. 

"Alright!" You said, hopping back in the front seat. "Let's go." And with that, you began driving. 

Yancy had been unsure about what the night held for the two of you. He trusted you, without a doubt, but the fear of the unknown was still fairly present. And after watching you rush up and then rush back only to toss things in the back before he could get a good look was disconcerting. But he let it go. As he said, he trusted you, and so he waited. He waited as you started the car, waited as you drove down the road, waited as you turned into a park, waited as you went down a worn but secluded path, and waited until you had finally spoken up. 

"We're here." You said, with hushed excitement. You exited the car, and headed towards the back to unlock the tailgate. Leaving Yancy to exit himself and take in the view. 

You had kept your promise. You had taken him to a forest, a clearing surrounded by trees, and he couldn't be happier. He ran up behind you and picked you up, spinning you around. 

You were shocked, but began laughing as you realized it was Yancy. 

"What's this about?" You asked between laughs. 

"The trees! They're fantastic!" He yelled, moving to put you on his shoulders. "Look at them!" He was absolutely elated to see them, and you could tell. 

"Wait, wait!" You said, trying to guide him back to the truck. You reached inside the basket and pulled out a knife. 

"Ok! Let's go!" You said. Yancy brought you to the closest tree, and you began carving yours and his name into it, you knew he wouldn't be able to see it so you added a heart around the names. You could dream. Then you passed the knife to him. Before he carved anything though, he stabbed it into the tree, slightly scaring you. But he made up for it by gently bringing you off his shoulders and back on to the ground. 

"Ise don't wanna risk droppin' youse while tryin' to carve our names, yeah?" He said, genuine care in his eyes. 

"Of course." You whispered. 

"Alright then, watch this." He said, before making quick work of the tree, carving out bits and pieces to create a stylized version of his and your names. It was impressive, really. 

You couldn't help but admire his skill, his precision, his natural aptitude for working with a knife. He would be exceptional at woodcarving, you thought. 

"There. What do youse think?" He asked, looking towards you, looking for your approval. 

"It's wonderful Yancy." You said, earnestly. 

The two of you just stood there for a moment, getting lost in each other's eyes, basking in each other's presence. Just being thankful to be around each other again. It truly had been too long since the two of you were together, and it seemed as though now that you were together again, neither of you wanted to be away from each other again. 

"Hey, c'mere, I wanna show you something." You said, bringing Yancy over to the truck bed. You hopped in and patted the spot beside you. 

Yancy hadn't see it before now, but he finally saw what you had thrown in back here, and what was presumably already back here. There was a mattress taking up the majority of the truck bed, with several blankets on the edges with twice as many pillows. And next to you was a picnic basket as well as-

"Is that the thing Heapass sent youse?" He asked, climbing in next to you. 

"Yeah it is. But we'll get to that alright? Let's have something a little more substantial first." You said, opening up the picnic basket. 

"As it was the only thing I could get out of you, I have your favorite sandwich. Turkey and smoked Gouda, with some lettuce, tomato, mayo, and hot sauce. As requested." You said, making an entire show of bringing out the sandwich and handing it to him. 

"I can't believe youse remembered. How many months back did Ise tell you? I can't believe youse did all this for me." He said, taking the sandwich and biting into it. 

"Doll, this is so much better than Ise coulda imagined." He said, mouth full. 

"I promised you the perfect day right? How would you rate it so far?" You asked. 

"Ise'll tell you what doll, Ise had high expectations, but youse passed 'em ages ago." He said. 

"I'm glad." You said, smiling at him. You took out a sandwich of your own and began eating too. And you also pulled out a fruit salad in case he was still hungry. The two of you hadn't really had much to eat at the cafe, so you had packed all this in case. And eat he did. While he ate, you laid back, and looked up at the sky. This was the perfect place to go stargazing, and you always came here when you needed a moment to recuperate. You hoped Yancy would take advantage of this place too. 

After he had finished eating, Yancy laid himself beside you, and looked up at the stars, reveling in the silence. 

"That's Orion's Belt, and that's the Little Dipper, at its tip is Polaris, the North Star. That bright spot right there is Venus, and that smaller bright spot is Jupiter." You said, pointing out each constellation and planet. 

"I love coming out here. It reminds me that as small as I might be, I'm still here. Still made of stardust, still capable of anything." You said, though to who you were speaking to was unclear. But you both benefited from hearing it. 

Yancy said nothing. He didn't need to. The two of you had lived through so many unspoken words in your letters, this was really no different. You both knew how you felt. 

"Oh!" You remembered, "The box!" You said, pulling it out, turning to Yancy to open it. From inside, you pulled out two necklaces, each with a ring and small key on it. 

"Doll, where'd youse get these?" He asked in wonder. 

"Do you remember that package Heapass sent me with one of your letters? Well inside were these two small rings, and when you look on the inside, our names are engraved. I thought that I could have the one with your name and you could have the one with my name, just so we can remember each other. And the box you gave me the night we escaped? Well, it had a universal skeleton key inside of it. Meaning I could've come back for you, but I didn't. I'm sorry." You explained. 

"Doll, if youse had gotten me out then, I doubt I'd be the same person. Ise needed that time. So thank you, for not gettin' me out too soon." He said, calming your worries. 

"If you say so. But anyway, I had it melted down into two keys. I'm not sure if it lost its powers, but I thought it might be nice for us to have matching keys, you know, because you've got the key to my heart and all that? I know, I know, it's cheesy. It's all pretty cheesy." 

"Y/N, Ise love it. Ise love youse." He said, finally speaking the unspoken truth between you two, bringing his forehead to touch yours. 

There was silence, then recognition, and finally joy. Indescribable joy. The smile on your face was shining brighter than the stars in the sky, and Yancy couldn't look away. 

"I love you too." You whispered, smiling still, you head tilting forward until you were smiling against him. He smiled too, and kissed you chastely, but you could feel the love behind it. It was sweet, the perfect kiss, to end the perfect day. 

In that moment, you truly felt like you were made of stardust. 


End file.
